John Fanta

Last updated

John Fanta
Born1995 (age 30–31)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater Seton Hall University
OccupationSportscaster
Employer

John Fanta (born 1995) is an American sportscaster. He is a play-by-play broadcaster for NBC Sports, calling primarily college basketball games for the Big East Conference, as well as the Big Ten Conference and the Big 12 Conference, and the National Basketball Association. [1] He has previously been a commentator and reporter at Fox Sports and the Big East Network.

Contents

Early life and education

Fanta was born in 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. Fanta graduated from Seton Hall University College of Communications in 2017. [2]

He began broadcasting games his freshman year in high school at Saint Ignatius High School (Cleveland). [3] He estimates that he commentated between 250 to 300 games while in high school.

At Seton Hall, Fanta commentated games for the Pirates Sports Network (PSN). [3] He also worked at the college's radio station, for which he was presented with the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award in 2023. [4]

Career

Upon graduating from Seton Hall University in 2017, Fanta became a play-by-play broadcaster for Fox Sports (where he interned in college). [3] In 2025, Fanta moved to NBC Sports. [1] [5] At NBC, he primarily covers Big East Conference college basketball games, but he also commentates college basketball games for the Big Ten Conference and the Big 12 Conference, in addition to covering the National Basketball Association. [6] [5] He primarily serves as the lead play-by-play commentator for the Big East, but also acts as a studio reporter for Big Ten basketball games and Notre Dame football games. [7]

He called his first NBA on NBC game along with Jamal Crawford and Grant Liffman, in February 2026. [8] He has been a Big East college basketball commentator since 2017. [9]

Fanta also has a college basketball presence on this internet. He has podcasts of the Field of 68 college basketball network. [3] He previously hosted Big East Shootaround on the Big East Digital Network. [10]

In 2024, Fanta was honored with the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Rising Star Award for college basketball. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 Marchand, Andrew (August 27, 2025). "Internet sensation John Fanta leaves Fox to become NBC's Big East announcer: Sources". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Alumni Profile John Fanta '17". advancement.shu.edu. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Mawby, Zachary. "Calling the Shots: Seton Hall alum John Fanta on becoming the voice of college basketball". Calling the Shots: Seton Hall alum John Fanta on becoming the voice of college basketball - The Setonian. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  4. ↑ "WSOU Celebrates 75th Anniversary at Hall of Fame Induction - Seton Hall University". www.shu.edu. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Lyons, Dan (February 18, 2026). "One of College Basketball's Most Exciting Broadcasters Will Make His NBA Debut Next Week". SI. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ Glasspiegel, Ryan (February 18, 2026). "John Fanta to Make 'NBA on NBC Sports' Play-by-Play Debut". Front Office Sports. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  7. ↑ Lerner, Drew (August 27, 2025). "John Fanta ditches Fox to become NBC's lead Big East voice". Awful Announcing. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  8. ↑ Grant, Michael (February 23, 2026). "John Fanta 'pumped' to make his NBA on NBC play-by-play debut". Awful Announcing. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  9. ↑ Squadron, Alex. "John Fanta Has All the Fun". Hoops HQ. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  10. ↑ Glasspiegel, Ryan (March 21, 2024). "Inside John Fanta's unlikely rise to the top of college hoops media | New York Post" . Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Fanta named USBWA's 2024 Rising Star". usbwa.com. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
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